The world is currently experiencing an unprecedented situation due to the spread of Covid-19. The global pandemic has forced businesses to close and has created a period of uncertainty that hasn’t been experienced in living memory. For those in digital marketing, creating content that is still relevant and useful can be challenging, but with delivery services still available and digital businesses standing to make significant gains, there are a number of different ways you can make the best of this highly unusual situation. In this article we discuss how to approach content marketing during the enforced lockdown period.
Reinforce the basic guidelines in every piece of marketing you share
Though most people will now be acutely aware of the situation, information can sometimes be missed by those who don’t keep a close eye on the news or who only use technology on an occasional basis. Whenever you are creating content for marketing purposes in the current climate, it is essential to state remind your audience of the basic guidelines in your area. Depending on which country you are in, these can vary, but generally speaking the advice has been to stay at home, wash your hands frequently and avoid all unnecessary with content with anybody but the people you live with. Those who are showing symptoms of the virus will need to self isolate and follow the medical advice the government has suggested.
Explain What Your Business Can and Can’t Do
For cafes, restaurants and many retailers, human interaction is most likely to be off the cards for the foreseeable future. Many businesses are managing to stay open by offering delivery only services on certain items, using online transactions or contactless payments as opposed to cash. Offering discounts on bulk orders and other perks such as free delivery can be a great strategy and will also encourage customers to accept the message that they cannot physically come to your premises. Though you can describe your products in detail and also discuss how your delivery service works, you must make it as clear as possible that your business can no longer offer any kind of face to face interaction whatsoever.
Choose an Appropriate Tone and Style
During times of global economic crisis, marketing changes quite significantly. This means that you may need to adjust the tone and style you use in order to make sure you’re communicating with your customers in the most effective way. Some businesses do very well by cutting through all of the serious news with a little bit of humour. Others may find more success adopting a more compassionate, human approach that emphasises a sense of unity and understanding. Some online businesses have managed to capitalise on the lockdown situation by encouraging users to use digital services as an alternative to meeting in person. Apps such as Zoom and House party have enjoyed record numbers of users and well-established platforms such as YouTube and Twitch are also seeing a spike in traffic. This is generally because any marketing content these companies have released has been encouraging users to connect with one another. It’s this sense of connection that many people feel as if they are currently lacking, so anything that offers even an approximate alternative is in high demand.
Stay Positive and Look to the Future
Though the future is undoubtedly unpredictable at the moment, having a sense of positivity is essential. Customers generally respond well to optimism rather than pessimism, so keeping the tone of your marketing content upbeat is highly recommended. Businesses such as bars and nightclubs have been holding online versions of their regular events in an attempt to maintain a level of engagement with their regular customers. Things like live pub quizzes, dance events and even concerts are happening all across the globe and though they may not generate income immediately, they can be a great way of ensuring that your audience don’t forget you. Reminding your audience that things will eventually return to normal and making tentative plans for reopening events can be help to boost your own morale as well as your customers.
Socials and Email Campaigns
As you are no doubt already aware, social media use has skyrocketed since the lockdown has been enforced across the globe, with millions of users stuck inside their houses for an indeterminate period of time. This means social media content has to be of a higher standard than ever if you want to make sure people are going to engage with it. The same can be said for email campaigns. To make sure people are actually reading or watching what you create, give them something of genuine value, rather than just a message about what you can sell them. This isn’t easy, especially in times of emergency, but creating content that provokes, informs, entertains or amuses can be a good opening gambit. Calls to action should still be as clear as possible, but avoid anything that can sound overly pushy or that pressures the customer in to making a purchase. In these uncertain times, priorities begin to shift and the “hard sell” tactics that work during periods of prosperity will seem unduly jarring to a person who is struggling to make ends meet.
Honesty and Transparency
Marketing isn’t always honest, but in emergency situations, people are generally more attuned to language and content that has been created to make a sale. Adopting a no nonsense, honest tone can help to establish a sense of trust amongst your customer base as it shows you are going through the same kind of challenges as everybody else. If you can only provide a reduced or limited service due to layoffs or supply issues, explain this clearly. Similarly, if you need to shut down completely but intend to return as soon as you are legally able to, state this in terms that can be understood by everybody. Creative content marketing definitely has it’s place but for many businesses, the reality of this situation means clarity is more of a priority at the moment.
